<p>"In this second essay, please reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your applicationor on something that you would like to say more about."</p>
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<li>wrote an essay about my dad but this essay shows how he was able to influence me (so basically because of my dad I had a change of perspective)</li>
</ul>
<p>I was wondering if I should hve the essay focus directly more on me. As in me undergoing a direct experience-- Usually ppl talk about debate stuff they did, olympiad competitions nad how they succeeded from difficult times, etc... but my essay only shows the mental change-- just a change of perspective I had. Is that okay?</p>
<p>I think your essay will be ok if the focus is on how you were influenced and changed vs characteristics about your dad. If done well, these “my inspiration” pieces can be effective. If not done well, they can be trite. It’s all in the writing.</p>
<p>I’d stay away from talking about your ECs, as they will see these in your application. I think personal essay that reveals more about your personality is a good idea.</p>
<p>Well said. I like to see this essay follow the prompt and not reiterate, or even expand, on something already in your application. Let it tell Y something new about how you think, feel or view the world, something that is uniquely you. It’s not the subject that is important, this should be an essay that no one else could write but you.</p>
<p>I wrote my essay as a letter to my college roommate. It’s a bit unorthodox, but it really gets my personality across. Do you think this is okay for the prompt?</p>
<p>^^^ I think I might wonder if you were trying to re-use an essay for another school in this instance. I think a straightforward approach is probably better.</p>
<p>It might suit the common app essay, but it’s hard to know without seeing the essay.</p>
<p>It doesn’t really fit the prompts. Topic of your choice? Not sure what the topic would be. Are you sure you’re not trying to squeeze a round peg in a square hole? It seems like this is an essay you probably wrote for a school that asks you to specifically write a letter to a room mate. These kinds of essays are hard to re-use without feeling forced, imo.</p>
<p>This is what was being alluding to about reusing an essay from another college, it’s pretty well known by HYPSetc. applicants, and likely Adcoms too:</p>
<p>Is there a way to modify the essay? Maybe take it from a first person to third person narrative? If someone read your essay and said that you truly captured yourself, you should be able to modify the previous essay to meet the Yale prompt. I only say this because I think that my son could have modified his essay for Yale for the Stanford prompt (not that he did). Just a thought.</p>
<p>You have to post 15 messages to pm on CC. I would be happy to comment on the subject matter in general, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable critiquing your essay for specifics. I am not an expert; i would classify myself as a neophyte - just a mom who helped her son through the crazy college application process this year.</p>